STIRRING THE POT

The world’s coastlines are crossroads of cultures and flavors, especially when it comes to seafood. Meet five classic preparations that elevate with an added international influence

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COASTAL SOUTH

SHRIMP-AND-OKRA GUMBO recipe, page 24

The roots of gumbo are hard to define, as this dish is the epitome of a melting pot of flavors and cultures. The unofficial dish of coastal Louisiana, it also claims origin from France (roux) and West Africa (okra). In this rich gumbo that's brimming with vegetables and shrimp, the seafood flavor comes through nicely, as well as a smokiness from the sausage and the Creole seasoning.

SHRIMP-AND-OKRA GUMBO

ACTIVE 40 min. TOTAL 1 hr. 10 min. SERVES 16

• 6 Tbsp. canola oil

• 3 Tbsp. unsalted butter

• 9 Tbsp. all-purpose flour

• 4 cups chopped white onion

• 1½ cups chopped green bell pepper

• 1½ cups chopped red bell pepper

• 1½ cups chopped celery

• 4 garlic cloves, chopped

• 13 oz. smoked turkey sausage, sliced

• 2 Tbsp. salt-free Creole seasoning

• 3 tsp. kosher salt

• 6 cups unsalted chicken stock

• 2 (15-oz.) cans no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained

• 1 (1-lb.) pkg. frozen cut okra

• 2 lb. medium peeled, deveined raw shrimp

• 1 cup sliced scallions

• 8 cups cooked long-grain brown rice

• ¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1. Heat oil and butter in a large Dutch oven over medium-high, and cook, stirring until butter is melted and mixture is warm. Add flour, and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden flat-edge scraping spoon, until mixture is caramel colored, 5 to 6 minutes. (Be careful not to burn the flour mixture.) Immediately add onion, bell pepper, celery, garlic, sausage, Creole seasoning, and salt, and cook, stirring often, until vegetables are softened, 12 to 15 minutes.